What happened
While operating under visual flight rules to remain near an airport on the edge of a large metropolitan area, two pilots initiated a flight without documented evidence of recent refueling. The crew contacted area approach control to request an ILS approach to test their onboard equipment, though they failed to specify a target airport. In response, approach control provided vectors toward a different airport, a destination for which the crew lacked necessary approach plates or navigational information.
As the flight progressed approximately 25 miles away from their departure point, the crew requested to return to the original airport. Shortly thereafter, the pilots declared an emergency, citing insufficient fuel, at which point radar contact was lost. Witnesses located at a nearby landfill reported hearing irregular sounds coming from the aircraft's engines. The aircraft was observed with only one engine functioning before the sound stopped entirely. According to observers, the plane became uncontrollable and descended toward the ground, though one engine was noted to have increased power just prior to the crash. The impact resulted in a small fire that was limited to the left wing. There were two fatalities among the occupants.
Findings
- The crew was operating without updated approach information for the assigned destination.
- The aircraft experienced a critical loss of engine power following a period of low fuel.
- There was no record of the aircraft being refueled prior to the flight sequence.